


A Practical Application of Concepts

by fractionallyfoxtrot



Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: F/M, First Kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-22
Updated: 2012-11-22
Packaged: 2017-11-19 06:32:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/570251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fractionallyfoxtrot/pseuds/fractionallyfoxtrot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the middle of their third date, Evie discovers that Martin has never been kissed.  She hopes to help him remedy that with a first kiss that he'll not only remember but remember well and fondly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Practical Application of Concepts

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [Martin's first kiss](http://cabinpres-fic.dreamwidth.org/6034.html?thread=9225874#cmt9225874) prompt on the meme.

Evie walked the aisles of the little bookstore looking for Martin. She held a coffee table book in her hands, _Arming Aviation: A History of Military Aircraft_ , with her finger marking the two-page spread on the Avro Lancaster. She couldn’t remember the names of _all_ the aircraft Martin had talked about on their last date but she did remember that one. Aeroplanes seemed to be the only thing Martin could talk about without tripping over his own tongue and Evie was curious to hear what he’d say if she proved she’d been listening.

She was surprised when she didn’t find Martin in the non-fiction or history sections. She checked each of the aisles as she worked her way towards the back of the store even though Martin had never come across as a fan of romance, cooking or sport. Evie finally found him in the health section of all places, sat on the floor with his back against the shelves, short piles of books set on either side of him. She stepped into the aisle, ready to call his name, when she caught sight of the title on the pink book in his hands.

_The Kissing Protocol: A Guide for the Analytical Mind_

Evie grinned, the expression growing as she took a few steps forward, noting the other titles stacked up around Martin.

_The Art of Kissing_

_Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Kissing but Were Too Afraid to Ask_

_Kissing Is Simple, Stupid_

It wasn’t a very subtle set-up but, like Martin’s nervous stutter, Evie couldn’t help but find it charming.

She continued to make her way towards him, mentally sorting through options for an opening line as she went. Evie paused an arm’s length away from him, her brow knitting in thought as her eyes traveled up from the books to Martin’s face. He was thoroughly engrossed in his reading, his lips moving as he processed the information on the page. He didn’t appear to be perusing the book for pleasure or entertainment nor did he seem to be simply biding his time until she happened upon him. Martin, who was still completely oblivious to her presence, was actually _reading_ the guidebook on kissing.

It wasn’t a set-up; little things Evie had wondered about over the course of their three dates were suddenly cleared up by that one fact.

Why Martin looked so nervous when she held his hand.

Why he practically jumped when she laid her head on his shoulder.

Why he left so quickly once they said ‘Good night,’ not even giving her the option to kiss him at her doorstep.

Evie’s expression softened as she discarded her previous plan of approach.

She announced her presence by touching a hand to Martin’s shoulder. Martin’s head snapped up at the contact, his eyes widening in panic when he saw it was her.

“Evie,” he squeaked, hastily shutting the book in his hands and dropping it, cover down, into his lap. “I, I didn’t know... see, I mean, didn’t, didn’t see-”

“What are you reading?” she asked. She knelt in front of Martin, setting the book on warplanes down beside her.

“N-nothing,” Martin lied, covering the book with his hands.

Evie smiled softly, hoping to ease some of the worry that creased Martin’s features. She reached towards him, the surprise clear in his eyes when she bypassed his hands and retrieved the book from his lap. She thumbed through it, opening to where Martin had left off, his place marked by a page bent from when he closed the book. The chapter heading, _Preparing For the First_ , answered the last of her questions.

“The last thing to keep in mind,” she read, “although it may seem counterintuitive, is to _not_ focus on the topics discussed in this chapter during the actual act of kissing. While every variable is, to some extent, important, your sole focus during the act of kissing is simply to kiss.”

Evie looked up to see Martin watching her warily. She leaned forward, slowly closing the distance between them, and pressed the book back into his hands.

“That is sound, and very formally written, advice,” Evie whispered, gently pressing her lips to Martin’s.

Martin didn’t react; Evie didn’t press him.

She stilled, keeping their lips pressed together, giving him a moment to get used to her touch. Without pulling away, Evie kissed him again, and again, and again, her touch growing firmer every time. She moved to kiss the corner of his mouth, then the other, then the center again where his lips were softest, never leaving him, never losing contact with his skin. Evie gave him one long, final press and as she pulled away, she felt Martin kiss her back.

Evie smiled; Martin, however hesitantly, smiled back. He touched a hand to her cheek and Evie found herself nodding unconsciously as she was led back into the kiss by Martin’s touch.

She let Martin kiss her, letting him take his time to experiment with the pressure and duration of his touch. His fingers on the nape of her neck firmed as the press of his lips grew stronger and more sure. Evie kissed back, answering the movement of his mouth with her own. She subtly pushed his touch, kissing just a little bit harder and for a little bit longer, feeling Martin respond in turn. Gradually, direction of the kiss was lost as they both took the book’s advice to heart and simply kissed.

Evie’s hands slid into Martin’s hair as she fought the urge to slip her tongue between his parted lips. She pulled back to look into his eyes. Although Martin’s seemingly permanent nervousness was still there, she was glad to see the worry and panic were gone; Evie thought she even caught a hint of desire.

“Would you like to come back to mine for a cup of coffee, Martin?”

Martin licked his newly kissed lips and slowly nodded. “I, I’d like that.”

“Me too,” she smiled. Evie glanced down at the books sitting around them. “Do we need to buy any of these to take with us?”

Martin blushed as he followed Evie’s gaze to the small stacks of books on kissing. He pushed them back towards the shelves, adding the book in his lap to the top of one of the piles.

“I could probably tell you about all of the aircraft in that one,” he said, canting his head towards book she’d brought to show him.

“Then I think we’ll be just fine.”

Evie pulled Martin back to her, grinning when the first tentative swipe of a tongue was his.


End file.
